West Ham United could reportedly be kicked out of this year's FA Cup, after FIFA announced that there was a "potential violation" of FIFA regulations during their last win.
The Hammers knocked out Bristol City in round four thanks to a goal from Diafra Sakho, who was due to represent Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations but skipped the event due to injury.
Sakho was not released by West Ham due to a back problem, but he then appeared just a couple of weeks later while the tournament was ongoing, and The Telegraph reports that could have serious consequences.
Rule 6.2 of FIFA regulations reads: "If a club refuses to release a player or neglects to do so despite the provisions of this annexe, the FIFA Players' Status Committee shall furthermore request the association to which the club belongs to declare any match(es) in which the player took part to have been lost by the club concerned.
"Any match contested according to the cup system shall be regarded as having been won by the opposing team, irrespective of the score."
West Ham have been drawn against West Bromwich Albion in the next round.
Charlie Bennett
